If your home was flooded a one off payment of £500 per household is available. This includes people who live on a boat as their main accommodation and who were affected by the flooding.

The grant is to help support you with your recovery costs, e.g. repairs or paying for alternative accommodation.

Like other householders, boat dwellers are also entitled to the Council Tax suspension. Volunteers from the HB flood relief hub are visiting those living on boats and will pass this information on.

To be eligible for the £500 grant, water must have entered your property. This includes damage to cellars and garages that are included in the fabric of the building.  Garages adjacent or separate from the main building are not included.

Who will get the payment?

In the majority of cases, the payment will be made to the person who is named as the council tax payer in the property – in rented accommodation this will be the tenant.

How will I get the £500? – Eligibility criteria and application form

• Eligibility criteria [PDF file 175KB]
• Application form [DOC file 94KB]
• Application form [PDF file 74KB]

Advice on repairs and building insurance

The Council building control team is also offering advice for making insurance claims and ensuring reputable contractors are hired for any building work needed.

• If you’re insured, contact your insurer as soon as possible. The insurance provider may also commission both a loss adjuster and a Chartered Structural Engineer to investigate the matter.
• Take photos both of the building and any damaged items before removing from your property, to use in any future claim.
• You may find it useful to compile lists of damaged or lost items, to create a diary or log of activity and to record the contact details of every one involved in the repair of your premises.

If your property isn’t insured, consider employing a Chartered Structural Engineer, Chartered Surveyor or Chartered Building Engineer to survey the premises on the owners’ behalf, to determine the damage that has occurred and any potential means of repair. They can also provide advice regarding the continuing stability and safety of the premises.
Such a qualified building professional may hold the qualifications CEng, MRICS, MCABE or MCIOB, and are expected to conform to the professional and ethical standards of their
institution and to offer third party insurance for their activities;

It is always best before commissioning work to be clear about what you’re asking them to do and what they’re going to charge for doing it.

Useful advice regarding the impacts of flooding can be found can be found on the
independent CIRIA webpages.

If your property is next to or over a water course, you may potentially hold additional responsibilities for the water course, known in legal terms as the riparian land owner. More info is available from the Environment Agency.

Getting repairs done

If your home needs repairs and you are unsure who to approach for the works, it’s a good idea to seek several quotes for repair work from reputable businesses and
ask for references, where possible, to check on the quality of work. Also ask neighbours
or friends if they have any recommendations, and use local businesses where possible.

It’s also a good idea to enquire about likely costs and service outcomes before any work
starts.

If you would like further advice or want to report a problem trader to Trading Standards,
please contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline via their online form, visit
Citizens Advice or telephone 03454 04 05 06.

Updated 8 Jan 2016

There is more info about the flood relief effort here and a celebration here of the huge volunteer effort that has gone into pulling Calder Valley out of the mire since Boxing Day.